IIFT 2025 Paper Analysis - Section-wise Difficulty Level, Expected Cutoff, Chapterwise Weightage

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IIFT 2024 Exam Analysis

IIFT 2024 exam analysis will be available here after the exam has been concluded. The IIFT 2023 exam is expected to be conducted in Decemner 2023. IIFT Result 2024 will be declared by February 2024. However, to get an idea about the IIF exam candidates can read further previous year's analysis to be thorough with the exam.

The IIFT 2023 exam difficulty level, topics weightage in each section, number of good attempts, and expected cutoff as per the students’ reactions and experts’ views have been updated here. By going through the IIFT exam analysis 2023, test takers will be able to understand their performance in the exam and estimate their chances of getting admission in IIFT. Meanwhile, IIFT 2023 question paper based on memory-based questions will be updated here. Also, one may check IIFT result date 2023, answer key and response sheet from the links below.

IIFT 2023 Question PaperIIFT 2023 Answer Key & Response Sheet

The IIFT exam 2023 was difficult overall with the QA section being the toughest and the GK section was the easiest. Compared to last year, Reading Comprehension & Verbal Ability was more challenging. The LRDI segment had the same level of difficulty as last year, with 16 questions for DI and 14 questions for LR, respectively. Most of the QA section consisted of Arithmetic and Algebra and was difficult in nature. The General Knowledge section was similar to last year in terms of difficulty with static and current affairs questions.

Last year, the IIFT exam was moderately difficult. The DILR section was the easiest while the QA section was the most difficult. Candidates appearing for IIFT 2024 can check the detailed analysis of the previous years’ exam on this page. This will help them get a better understanding of past question papers and be prepared for the exam.

The exam has been conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency) on behalf of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. The purpose of the IIFT 2024 exam is to screen candidates for MBA in International Business courses at IIFT Delhi and IIFT Kolkata. Students can check out the link below (to be activated) to have an understanding of the IIFT 2024 exam

IIFT exam pattern 2024 did not have many changes as compared to the last year. The exam had four sections namely, Verbal Ability & English Comprehension (35 questions), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (30 questions), Quantitative Analysis (25 questions), and General Knowledge & Awareness (questions). Students have to attempt a total of 110 questions in 2 hours.

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IIFT 2023 Section-wise Exam Analysis

The paper analysis is based on the reactions of students and reviews of various coaching institutes. We have updated the difficulty level, types of questions, topics weightage of every section, and the number of good attempts that can get you selected for the MBA IB course at IIFT. Click on the video below to have a quick look at IIFT 2023 question paper.

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The IIFT 2023 exam followed the same format as the previous year, with 110 questions to be completed in 2 hours. Four components make up the paper.

Section

No. of QuestionsDifficulty LevelNo. of Good Attempts

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

35Moderate to Difficult19-22

Quantitative Analysis

25Moderate to Difficult11-12

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

30Easy to Moderate18-22

General Awareness

20Moderate10-12
Total110Moderate50-57

Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)

It was moderately challenging to complete the Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension section. 16 questions on RCs and the remaining 19 questions from various Verbal Ability topics made up the 35 questions in this segment.

The vocabulary, including synonyms, antonyms, and one-word substitutes, was the main focus of the VA portion. In VA, 8–10 questions would have been a nice number to try. This year, there were more inferential questions in the RC part. In addition, the section's structure changed from the previous year's breakdown of 5 and 3 questions to 4 questions in each set.

Topic

Number of Questions

Difficulty Level

Verbal Ability (VA)

Antonym

2

Easy

word-root

2

Moderate

Match the following

1

Easy-Moderate

Idioms

3

Easy

Vocabulary

4

Moderate

Spelling

1

Easy

Crossword Puzzle

1

Easy

Closed passage

1

Easy

Grammar-noun, adjective

4

Moderate

Overall

19

Moderate

Reading Comprehension (RC)

Foreign currency manipulation-economy

4

Difficult to read, could have been skipped

Globalization of product cycle-deployment- support

4

Easy to read and doable questions

power balance shifting in the world

4

Moderate

Subconscious mind- behaviour-will power-goals

4

Easy to read and doable questions

Overall

16

Moderate

Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation (LRDI)

It was easy to somewhat challenging to complete the Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation section of IIFT 2023. Two of the four sets in DI should have been attempted because they were simple. The number of questions that may have been attempted in LR, however, was between 10 and 12.

Topic

Number of Questions

Difficulty Level

Logical Reasoning (LR)

Choosing 4 students from 8

1

Easy

Circular sitting arrangement

3

Moderate

Coin-flip game

4

Easy

Quiz competition

2

Moderate

Row Arrangement

2

Easy-Moderate

Transport service- 8 locations

2

Easy

Overall

14

Easy-Moderate

Data Interpretation (DI)

2 tables- Tokyo Olympics 2021

4

Easy

Covid 19 ratio of male: female 5 months

4

Moderate

Pie chart - Line graph

4

Easy-Moderate

Stacked bar chart

4

Easy

Overall (4 Sets)

16

Easy-Moderate

Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

The difficulty level of IIFT 2023's Quantitative Aptitude part was moderate to difficult. The majority of the questions in this area came from the math and algebra categories. In the best-case scenario, candidates should strive for a score of 20 to 22 within 30 to 35 minutes.

Topic

Number of Questions

Difficulty Level

Number System

2

Moderate

Algebra

5

Moderate to Difficult

Arithmetic

8

Moderate to Difficult

Geometry and Mensuration

4

Difficult

Modern Math

4

Difficult

Trigonometry

2

Easy

Overall

25

Moderate to Difficult

IIFT 2022 Exam Analysis

IIFT 2022 was successfully conducted on December 5, 2022. The exam was held in the online mode across several IIFT 2022 exam centres. The paper analysis of IIFT 2022 is provided here as per the feedback from students and expert reactions. Here are the major highlights of the exam analysis:

Section

No. of Questions

Difficulty Level

Quantitative Ability

25

Moderate to Difficult

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension

35

Moderate to Difficult

Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation

30

Moderate and Lengthy

General Knowledge

20

Moderate

Overall

110Moderate to Difficult

Candidates who have appeared for the exam can check the detailed paper analysis to get an idea of the exam difficulty level and expected cutoff. from the link given below:

IIFT 2022 Question Paper Analysis and Answer Key

IIFT 2021 Exam Analysis

IIFT 2021 was conducted today on January 24, 2021 from 3 pm to 5 pm. We are bringing a live in-depth analysis of the IIFT 2021 Question Paper based on student reports from the exam centres. Candidates can check the section-wise difficulty level, number of good attempts and other important details in the exam analysis of IIFT 2021 by CollegeDekho Experts.

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IIFT 2021 Exam and Question Paper Analysis, Answer Key and Solutions

Admission to IIFT will be based on this exam and hence it becomes important to analyse each and every component carefully before and during IIFT preparation to ensure that you hit the nail on the head. By taking a look at information and pattern of last year's question paper, we can gain insights about IIFT 2021 and project what kind of question paper students should expect. This will help aspirants in creating a solid study plan based on factual information and calculated projections.

Points to Note

  • IIFT 2021 is a CBT having 110 questions and total time duration of 2 hours.
  • The exam will have 4 sections containing objective type questions.
  • 3 marks will be awarded for each right answer (1.5 marks for GA section).
  • IIFT has negative marking and 1/3rd of the marks allotted for each question are deducted for every wrong answer.

IIFT 2021 Exam Analysis

IIFT is usually a moderately difficult examination overall with some sections ranging towards the difficult side. A good study plan and preparation is required to crack IIFT and get a good score. Check the section-wise analysis and projections for IIFT 2021 given below.

SectionNo. of QuestionsExpected Difficulty LevelExpected Good Attempts
Quantitative Ability25Moderate to Difficult10-14
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension35Easy to Moderate20-25
Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation30Moderate to Difficult10-12
General Knowledge20Easy10-15
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IIFT 2020 Exam Analysis

IIFT 2020 exam was conducted on December 01, 2019, and the time of the examination was 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Candidates can check the live analysis of IIFT entrance exam 2020 here.

IIFT 2020 Pattern Changes - First Impression

Compared to the previous year, IIFT 2020 exam was easier. An overall score of 120+ can be considered as a good score this year. The results of IIFT 2020 are releasing on December 11, 2019. 

  • The VARC section was easy while Reading Comprehension was lengthy.
  • Among DI & LR, DI questions were easy and LR questions were difficult.
  • QA section was longer this year.

IIFT Section Wise Paper Analysis 2020

The section-wise difficulty level of IIFT exam 2020 can be checked below -

Name of the SectionNumber of Good AttemptsCutoff
Quantitative Aptitude10 - 1228 - 30 Marks
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension25+30 Marks
Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation12 - 1436 Marks
General Knowledge8 - 10-

IIFT 2020 New Exam Pattern

Name of the SectionNumber of QuestionsMarksNegativeOverall
Quantitative Aptitude253-175
Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension353-1105
Logical Reasoning & Data Interpretation303-190
General Knowledge201.5-0.530
Overall110--300

IIFT 2019 Exam Analysis

Here's a detailed analysis of the IIFT 2019 exam to get an insight into the section-wise as well as the overall difficulty level of the paper. Not only this, you will be given complete information on the no. of questions asked in every section as well topics under each section. 

As per experts at Career Launcher, there were no surprise elements in the different sections of the paper but the overall paper turned out to be tougher as compared to the last year's paper. The paper was quite lengthy and some of the questions were very tricky.

The General Awareness (GA) section was on similar lines as last year in terms of difficulty level so the cut-off is expected to remain the same. English Usage (EU) and Reading Comprehension (RC) turned out to be tougher than last year's exam so the cut-off could go down by 1 mark. Attempting 4 passages would be considered a good performance in Reading Comprehension (RC).

The difficulty level of Quantitative Ability (QA) was also higher so the cut-off in this section could also go down by 1 mark. Logical Reasoning (LR) section turned out to be the hardest section and the difficulty level was higher in comparison with the previous year's exam. The cut-off for LR is expected to go down by 2 marks.

Out of all the sections, Data Interpretation (DI) turned out to be the easiest so the cut-off in this section is expeted to increase by 1 mark.

A total of 114 questions were asked in the 6 sections and every section had a different weightage. Check out the overall structure of the exam.

Section

No. of Questions

Marks Allotted per Question

Negative Marks Allotted per Question

Total MarksGood AttemptsIdea TimeSectional Cut-off

Data Interpretation

20

1

0.17

20410 mins0.75

Logical Reasoning

20

1

0.25

201035 mins4-4.5

General Awareness

18

0.5

0.33

9810 mins0.83-1

Reading Comprehension

16

1

0.33

169-1025 mins2.5-2.75

Verbal Ability

20

0.75

0.33

1511-1212 mins3.25-3.5

Quantitative Aptitude

20

1

0.33

2010-1130 mins3-3.25

Section-wise Analysis of the IIFT 2019 Entrance Exam

Data Interpretation

Overall, this section was the easiest. An attempt of 4-5 questions would be considered very good. To sail through the cut-off, an attempt of just about 2-3 with 100% accuracy would be decent.

TopicsNo. of QuestionsDoable QuestionsDifficulty Level
Mixed Graphs123Tough
Tables82Tough

Logical Reasoning

This section turned out to be quite time-consuming. Attempting around 10-11 questions with 85% accuracy would be considered good in this section.

TopicNo. of QuestionsDoable QuestionsDifficulty Level
Distribution43Easy to Medium
Matrix44Easy
Venn-diagram21Medium
Input Output21Medium
Missing number11Easy to Medium
Arrangement42Medium to Tough
Selection31Medium

General Awareness

This section was easier as compared to last year. Sailing though the cut-off would be easy with an attempt of 8 questions with 50% accuracy.

TopicNo. of QuestionsDoable QuestionsDifficulty Level
Current Affairs22Easy
Business and Economy103-4Medium to Tough
Miscellaneous11Easy
Geography2-Tough
Science1-Tough
Sports11Easy
Books11Easy

Reading Comprehension

Tackling this section would've been easy for anyone with a good reading habit. Otherwise, this section was quite time-consuming.

PassagesNo. of QuestionsDoable QuestionsDifficulty Level
Culture32Moderate
Public Intellectuals32Tough
Information flow42Tough
Liberal Arts Education31-2Tough
GDP32Moderate

Verbal Ability

Overall, this section was tough. Some of the questions looked more like GK-based rather than English language-based. The questions based on para-jumble, fill in the blank, and grammar were easy.

TopicNo. of QuestionsDoable QuestionsDifficulty Level
Jumble words31Tough
Analogy20-1Tough
Fill in the blanks (2 blanks)32-3Easy
Match the column21-2Medium
Spot the error22Easy
Word Roots41Medium to Tough
Sentence Improvement22Easy
Para Jumble (4 sentence)22Easy

Quantitative Ability

As compared to other entrance exams, the weightage given to Geometry and Modern Math was higher in this paper. An attmept of 10-12 questions with about 85% accuracy would be considered decent in this section.

TopicNo. of QuestionsDoable QuestionsDifficulty Level
Arithmetic53Medium
Algebra74Easy to Medium
Geometry & Mensuration52Medium
P&C, Probability & Set Theory32Easy to Medium

For General category candidates, an overall score of 31-33 should be enough to sail through the cut-off. For NC/OBC category candidates, an overall score of 26-28 should be sufficient whereas 23-24 marks should be enough for SC/ST/PwD category candidates. 

With inputs from Career Launcher

Disclaimer: The analysis provided above is based on various sources and therefore is totally indicative in nature. Students are recommended to wait for their actual results before taking any decision.

IIFT 2018 Exam Analysis

The IIFT entrance exam was conducted successfully on December 3, 2017 between 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. As per information available on the official website of Career Launcher, students were in for a surprise with the former 4 sections of IIFT paper segregating into 6 separate sections. Previously, candidates had the luxury to choose to perform either in Data Interpretation (DI) or Logical Reasoning (LR). In the same way, candidates could choose to focus only on English Usage (EU) or Reading Comprehension (RC). However, students have not been given this luxury this year. Candidates were required to perform across all 6 sections in order to clear sectional cut-offs.

As far as different sections are concerned, RC, Quantitative Ability (QA), DI and LR were quite similar to that of last year's paper. On the other hand, General Awareness (GA) turned out be tougher as compared to the previous year. English Usage (EU) seemed the toughest nut to crack this year, therefore command over English usage and Vocabulary was necessary to perform well in the exam.

Overall, the cut-offs for General should be around 38-40, OBC should be around 33-35, SC should be around 28-30 and ST should be around 20-22. IIFT 2018 entrance exam was conducted across 20 cities in a single session. Over 50,000 aspirants appeared for the exam this year.

The IIFT exam had objective type questions. Candidates were given multiple options, out of which they had to pick the correct response. The total number of questions in the IIFT question paper decreased from last year's 123 to 114 this year. Candidates were given marks out of 100. The two-hour exam also had negative marking for wrong answers.

IIFT 2018 Exam Pattern

SectionNo. of QuestionsMarks Per QuestionTotalNegative Marks
Section-I20 (Questions 01-20)1200.33
Section-220 (Questions 21 to 40)0.75150.25
Section-318 (Questions 41-58)0.590.17
Section-420 (Questions 59-78)1200.33
Section 516 (Questions 79-94)1160.33
Section 620 (questions 95-114)1200.33
Total114-100-

IIFT 2018 Section-wise Exam Analysis

Section 1: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension:The difficulty level of this section was moderate.

Part 1TopicsNo. of QuestionsDifficulty Level
Part 1: Read ComprehensionPassage 1: Manufacturing sector vs. Service sector4Easy
Passage 2: Reverse innovation by PepsiCo.4Easy
Passage 3: Female participation in labour force4Easy
Passage 4: SLAM in robotics4Easy
Part 2: English UsageWord meaning4Moderate
Antonyms22Easy
Etymology3Difficult
Spelling2Moderate
Cloze Test4Moderate
Sentence Jumble2Easy
Idioms3Moderate
Total-36Easy to Moderate

Section 2: Quantitative Ability:The difficulty level of this section was moderate to difficult.

TopicsNo. of QuestionsDifficulty Level
Arithmetic3Easy to Moderate
Algebra7Easy
Geometry, Mensuration and Trigonometry3Easy
P&C and Probability5Easy
Set theory1Easy
Numbers1Easy
Total 22Easy

Section 3: Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation: There were tricky questions in the Logical Reasoning section and Data Interpretation had calculative questions. Overall, it turned out to be a Difficult section.

TopicsNo. of QuestionsDifficulty Level
Grouping and arrangement10Easy to Moderate
Analogy04Easy to Moderate
Series02Easy to Moderate
Blood Relation04Easy
Syllogism2Easy
Table (calculation based)10Moderate
Bar Graph10Moderate
Total42Moderate

Section 4: General Knowledge: The difficulty level of this section was moderate. It mostly had questions based on Finance.

TopicsNo. of QuestionsDifficulty Level
Current Affairs6Moderate
Business and Economy7Moderate
Miscellaneous5Moderate
History1Moderate
Geography1Moderate
Polity1Moderate
Science1Moderate
Sports2Moderate
Awards and honors0Moderate
Books1Moderate
Total25Moderate

Want to know more about IIFT

FAQs about IIFT Exam Analysis

What are the common topics asked in the General Awareness section of IIFT?

Most of the questions asked in the General Awareness section are from Matching the Logos, Personalities, Currency of the Country, Current Affairs, Fictional Characters, Business and Economy, Books and Authors, etc. It is important to stay updated with any major developments in the field of business to crack this section.

What kind of questions are asked in the DILR section of IIFT?

The following are the topics asked in the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section:

Logical ReasoningData Interpretation
  • Statements
  • Conclusion
  • Team-based Questions
  • Coding-Decoding
  • Blood Relation Clock
  • Arguments
  • Seating Arrangements
  • Charts-Graphs-Tables
  • Analysis
  • Comparative studies
  • Pie Charts and Tables
  • Bar Diagrams
  • Comparative Tables

What kind of RC questions are asked in IIFT?

IIFT contains medium-length RC passages based on Current Affairs, Economy and Business, fact-based and data-driven topics, Social scenarios in India, abstract topics, opinion-based, and International Affairs affecting India. The questions asked based on RC passages are a combination of information-based and inference based.

Which section of IIFT has the most weightage?

The VARC section in IIFT has the most weightage as it has 35 MCQs with a total of 105 marks. This section has two parts: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension. The Verbal Ability section has 19 questions while the Reading Comprehension section has 16 questions.

What is a good score in IIFT 2023?

A score of 122 to 124 in the IIFT 2023 exam is considered to be a good score to clear the cutoff for admission. Check the section-wise good score in IIFT 2023 exam below:

IIFT 2023 SectionIIFT 2023 Good Score
VARC30-32
QA12-14
DILR18-20
General Awareness8-9
Overall122-124

 

How difficult is IIFT as compared to CAT?

Both IIFT and CAT are moderate to difficult level examinations that require advanced preparation to succeed. However, some candidates consider IIFT to be more difficult as it has more number of questions as well as an additional General Awareness section.

How difficult is the General Awareness section in IIFT?

While General Awareness section in IIFT itself is easy, its preparation can get difficult because of the wide syllabus. Candidates have to establish a balance between staying aware of the current affairs of the business world and preparing for the exam.

How many questions should I attempt to clear the IIFT cutoff?

A good attempt to clear the IIFT cutoff would be around 50 - 70 questions. The number of good attempts in the QA section is 15-16+ questions and for VARC, 23-25+ questions are good attempts. For DILR, 18 - 20 questions are good attempts while for General Awareness, 12 - 13 questions are considered good attempts. If a candidate is attempting less number of questions, they should ensure that exceptional accuracy is maintained. 

What is the most difficult section of IIFT?

Most of the candidates appearing for IIFT report the DILR section to be the most difficult. DI questions in IIFT are very tough to crack. Pie Charts, Bar Graphs, Tables & Caselets, and Line Graphs are some important topics in the Data Interpretation section. Coding-Decoding, Seating-Arrangement, Blood Relations, and Linear Word Formation are some crucial topics in the Logical Reasoning section.

What is the difficulty level of IIFT?

The difficulty level of IIFT ranges from moderate to difficult. Some of the sections in the exam can get very tough to crack and require thorough practice and preparation. Generally, General Awareness is the easiest section while the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section is the toughest.

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